The assessment of a smart anticorrosive coating by the electrochemical noise technique

Zinc phosphate and related compounds are convenient replacements for chromates. However, more eco-compatible pigments are being investigated. The objective of this research was to develop a modified zeolitic rock which is intended to replace phosphate pigments in anticorrosive paints. The modified zeolitic rock was obtained by grinding the rock followed with ionic exchange with molybdenyl ions. This “composite” has an intelligent behavior because molybdenum compounds are leached from the zeolite particle by corrodent species. The anticorrosive properties of this zeolitic rock were studied by electrochemical techniques, employing inhibitor suspensions, and formulating anticorrosive coatings. Coatings performance was evaluated by accelerated tests (humidity chamber and salt spray) and electrochemical noise measurements (ENM). Electrochemical noise data were analyzed in the time domain. The noise resistance (Rn) was compared, as far as possible, with the polarization resistance. It was demonstrated that zinc phosphate content could be reduced to one-third with respect to the recommended value in the literature. The electrochemical noise technique allowed to differentiate the anticorrosive performance of the different coatings formulated in this research.Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Tecnología de Pintura

The assessment of a smart anticorrosive coating by the electrochemical noise technique

Zinc phosphate and related compounds are convenient replacements for chromates. However, more eco-compatible pigments are being investigated. The objective of this research was to develop a modified zeolitic rock which is intended to replace phosphate pigments in anticorrosive paints. The modified zeolitic rock was obtained by grinding the rock followed with ionic exchange with molybdenyl ions. This “composite” has an intelligent behavior because molybdenum compounds are leached from the zeolite particle by corrodent species. The anticorrosive properties of this zeolitic rock were studied by electrochemical techniques, employing inhibitor suspensions, and formulating anticorrosive coatings. Coatings performance was evaluated by accelerated tests (humidity chamber and salt spray) and electrochemical noise measurements (ENM). Electrochemical noise data were analyzed in the time domain. The noise resistance (Rn) was compared, as far as possible, with the polarization resistance. It was demonstrated that zinc phosphate content could be reduced to one-third with respect to the recommended value in the literature. The electrochemical noise technique allowed to differentiate the anticorrosive performance of the different coatings formulated in this research.Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Tecnología de Pintura

TCT-92 Discordance Between Myocardial Blush Grade And ST-Segment Resolution In STEMI After Primary PCI: Does The Residual Intrastent Thrombus Play A Role?

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SYMPATHOVAGAL EQUILIBRIUM ANALYSIS IN PATIENTS WITH COVID

Background: At the end of 2019, a hitherto unknown coronavirus was identified in Wuhan (China) it was called SARS CoV-2 and the disease caused by it was named COVID-19. With the increase in cases an unusual manifestation for this type of virus began to appear: anosmia and dysgeusia, of uncertain etiology, which it could be an autonomic alteration, more precisely in the baroreflex. In this context, it seems likely that subclinical manifestations of baroreflex involvement occur. The regulation of the baroreflex is carried out by the vegetative nervous system through the balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic activity. The objective of this study is to verify whether patients with COVID-19 present alteration of this mechanism by means of ECG Holter recording Material and methods: the study design was cross-sectional, observational, descriptive, prospective inclusion and the sampling was non-probabilistic of convenience. Patients were included if they had a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 admitted to the Internal Medicine Service of JB Iturraspe Hospital in Santa Fe city, Argentina, in the period from May 10 to July 20, 2021. An ECG Holter recording was performed at rest for 5 minutes, determining the variables of the frequency domain using Fourier transform analysis through Kubios. Data are presented for frequency measures of HRV: low-frequency power (LF), and high-frequency power (HF) and normalized unit LFnu, HFnu. Were excluded patients with a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus of more than 5 years of evolution, medicated with beta-blockers or with a history of irradiation in the neck Results: 68 patients were studied. 62% were men 38% were women. The mean age was 48.9 ± 13.3 years. The median systolic blood pressure (SBP) was 120 mmHg (95 to 170) and the diastolic blood pressure (DBP) 80 mmHg (60 -110). The heart rate was 76 ± 13 beats per minute and the respiratory rate was 24 (16 to 40). Anosmia was observed in 22% (n = 15) and dysgeusia in 19% (n = 13). The variables of the analysis in the frequency domain were: LF 135.8 ms2 (13.7 - 2861.7); HF, 89.04 ms2 (4.14-5234.4), LFnu 57.57 ± 22.39, HFnu 43.18 ± 22.64. LF / HF ratio 2.1 ms2 ± 2.09. 41.2% (n = 28) of the patients had a high LF / HF ratio (> 2). Discussion: The high and low frequency components known as HF (High Frequency) representing predominantly parasympathetic function, and LF (Low Frequency) which is both sympathetic and parasympathetic activity; can be obtained through the analysis in the frequency domain. The relationship between these two elements would thus represent the sympatho-vagal balance and is expressed as the LF / HF ratio. We observed that 41.2% of the studied patients showed elevated LF / HF ratio Conclusion: The 41.2% of the patients hospitalized with COVID-19 presented with an increase in the LF / HF ratio and this result could be interpreted as an alteration in autonomic function

Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor in Fetoplacental Tissues from Preeclamptic Pregnancies with or without Fetal Growth Restriction

The proinflammatory cytokine MIF (macrophage migration inhibitory factor) is involved in physiological and pathological processes in pregnancy. MIF maternal serum levels are increased in preeclampsia (PE). We hypothesize that pregnancy tissues are the source of MIF overexpression in PE. MIF protein was studied in maternal sera, placental tissues, fetal membranes, and umbilical cord of 8 control and 20 PE pregnancies: 10 with normal fetal growth (PE-AGA) and 10 with fetal growth restriction (PE-FGR). MIF levels were significantly higher in PE-AGA membranes than in controls and PE-FGR. In PE-FGR, MIF cord concentrations were higher than in PE-AGA while MIF placental levels were lower than in controls. MIF maternal serum levels were higher in PE, compared to controls, and the difference was mainly due to PE-FGR samples. These data support MIF involvement in PE pathogenesis and suggest that different pregnancy tissues contribute to MIF production in PE with and without fetoplacental compromise

3D Microfluidic model for evaluating immunotherapy efficacy by tracking dendritic cell behaviour toward tumor cells

Immunotherapy efficacy relies on the crosstalk within the tumor microenvironment between cancer and dendritic cells (DCs) resulting in the induction of a potent and effective antitumor response. DCs have the specific role of recognizing cancer cells, taking up tumor antigens (Ags) and then migrating to lymph nodes for Ag (cross)-presentation to naïve T cells. Interferon-α-conditioned DCs (IFN-DCs) exhibit marked phagocytic activity and the special ability of inducing Ag-specific T-cell response. Here, we have developed a novel microfluidic platform recreating tightly interconnected cancer and immune systems with specific 3D environmental properties, for tracking human DC behaviour toward tumor cells. By combining our microfluidic platform with advanced microscopy and a revised cell tracking analysis algorithm, it was possible to evaluate the guided efficient motion of IFN-DCs toward drug-treated cancer cells and the succeeding phagocytosis events. Overall, this platform allowed the dissection of IFN-DC-cancer cell interactions within 3D tumor spaces, with the discovery of major underlying factors such as CXCR4 involvement and underscored its potential as an innovative tool to assess the efficacy of immunotherapeutic approaches

Quantitation of HBV cccDNA in anti-HBc-positive liver donors by droplet digital PCR: A new tool to detect occult infection

Background & Aims: The accurate diagnosis of occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI) requires the demonstration of HBV DNA in liver biopsies of hepatitis B surface antigen-negative individuals. However, in clinical practice a latent OBI is deduced by the finding of the antibody to the hepatitis B core antigen (anti-HBc). We investigated the true prevalence of OBI and the molecular features of intrahepatic HBV in anti-HBc-positive individuals. Methods: The livers of 100 transplant donors (median age 68.2 years; 64 males, 36 females) positive for anti-HBc at standard serologic testing, were examined for total HBV DNA by nested-PCR and for the HBV covalently closed circular DNA (HBV cccDNA) with an in-house droplet digital PCR assay (ddPCR) (Linearity: R2 = 0.9998; lower limit of quantitation and detection of 2.4 and 0.8 copies/105 cells, respectively). Results: A total of 52% (52/100) of the individuals studied were found to have OBI. cccDNA was found in 52% (27/52) of the OBI- positive, with a median 13 copies/105 cells (95% CI 5–25). Using an assay specific for anti-HBc of IgG class, the median antibody level was significantly higher in HBV cccDNA-positive than neg- ative donors (17.0 [7.0–39.2] vs. 5.7 [3.6–9.7] cut-off index [COI], respectively, p = 0.007). By multivariate analysis, an anti-HBc IgG value above 4.4 COI was associated with the find- ing of intrahepatic HBV cccDNA (odds ratio 8.516, p = 0.009); a lower value ruled out its presence with a negative predictive value of 94.6%. Conclusions: With a new in-house ddPCR-based method, intra- hepatic HBV cccDNA was detectable in quantifiable levels in about half of the OBI cases examined. The titer of anti-HBc IgG may be a useful surrogate to predict the risk of OBI reactiva- tion in immunosuppressed patients

Development and validation of serum bilirubin nomogram to predict the absence of risk for severe hyperbilirubinaemia before discharge: a prospective, multicenter study

Early discharge of healthy late preterm and full term newborn infants has become common practice because of the current social and economic necessities. Severe jaundice, and even kernicterus, has developed in some term infants discharged early. This study was designed to elaborate a percentile-based hour specific total serum bilirubin (TSB) nomogram and to assess its ability to predict the absence of risk for subsequent non physiologic severe hyperbilirubinaemia before discharge